Supporting surface for a mattress, cushion, and the like



June 4, 1968 H. KRAMER 3,386,113

SUPPORTING SURFAE FOR A MATTRESS, CUSHION, AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 22, 1965 INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent Oflice 3,386,1l3 Patented June 4, 1968 3,386,113 SUPPORTING SURFACE FOR A MATTRESS, CUSHION, AND THE LIKE Hyman Kramer, 2764 E. 16th St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11218 Filed Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 501,432 4 Claims. (Cl. -490) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE As herein disclosed, the invention is directed to a supporting surface for a mattress, cushion and the like comprising a plurality of individual, elongated endless loops fashioned from wire cable, plastic cord, rope and the like which are strung between two parallel frame members and are provided intermediate their end portions with one or more simple half-twists, as results is the long sideleg portions of the loops crossing one another at at least one point along the length thereof; and said twisted loops being connected together to form a supporting network solely by mechanical tie means which secure together the adjacent crossed side-leg portions of each adjacent loop pair at points along their length which are spaced from but bear predetermined relation to the points of crossing of the side-leg portions of the adjacent loops making up each loop pair. The disclosure is also directed to the method of fabricating a mattress or Cushion supporting surface from endless loops which are half-twisted and connected to one another as aforesaid.

This invention relates to improvements in a supporting surface for a mattress, cushion and the like, and more particularly to a cableor cord-type elastic supporting surface capable of functioning as a bottom for the mattress of a bed or cot, the cushion of a chair or chaise, and the like.

Stated generally, an object of the present invention is the provision of an improved and simplified cableor cord-type mattress and/or cushion supporting surface.

More particularly, the present invention aims to provide a novel arrangement of endless loops of cable or cord serving as an elastic supporting bottom for a bed or cot mattress and/or for the cushion of a chair or chaise, for example.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a practical and inexpensive yet highly effective mattress and/or cushion bottom made up of endless loops of cable or cord mounted and arranged so as to provide an elastic supporting surface for said mattress or cushion.

The above and other objects and features of advantage of a mattress and/or cushion supporting surface or bottom according to the present invention will appear from the following detailed description thereof, in which reference is had to the accompanying illustrative drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is representative of one of a plurality of endless loops made of wire cable or a braided cord which is employed in fabricating a mattress or cushion supporting surface according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a similar view but illustrating the loop shown in FIG. 1 after a half-twist has been imparted thereto according to the invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a modified construction of loop, i.e. a loop made of a length of cord of plastic material, whose ends are connected by being fused one to the other;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of a bed, cot, chair or chaise frame provided with a cableor cord-type elastic supporting surface or bottom for the mattress or cushion theireof made from endless loops, as herein contemplated; an

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but illustrating a variant form of loop-to-frame fastening from that employed in FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it is explained that the present invention is directed to the structure and mode of fabrication of a cableor cord-type elastic supporting surface or bottom for the conventional mattress of a bed or cot, or the cushion of a chair, chaise or the like, the framework of which is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 as comprising a frame end part 10 and parallel side rails 12 and 14, it being understood that an end part not shown but similar and parallel to said end part 10 completes said framework. It is also explained that prior to the present invention it was known to fashion cableor cord-type supporting surfaces or bottoms for mattresses and cushions as aforesaid from loops of suitable material, usually twisted-strand wire cable, disposed in side-by-side relationship and secured together exclusively by metal clips or fastenings in manner as to form a network characterized by diamond-shaped openings.

According to the present invention, the herein mattress or cushion supporting surface is also formed by endless loops of cable or cord having stretched-out length substantially equal to the spacing between the parallel side rails 12 and 14 and which are disposed in side-by-side relationship and secured together in such a way as to form a supporting network characterized by diamond-shaped openings, but said endless loops are arranged in such a way that the number of clips required to maintain the network of diamondshaped openings is substantially reduced and the labor involved in completing the fastenings provided by the clips is correspondingly reduced.

More particularly, and referring to FIG. 4, a mat tress and/or cushion supporting surface according to the present invention comprises a plurality of preformed endless loops designated 16, 18, 20, etc. of stretched-out length substantially equal to the spacing between the side rails 12 and 14 of the framework and which extend between said rails and are secured thereto at their opposite end portions by double-hook type metal fasteners 30 made from U-bent pieces of wire rod stock, one leg of which is hooked to an associated side rail by being passed through a hole provided therefor in said side rail, and the other leg of which is hooked to the associated end bight of the cable or cord forming the loop. The endmost loops, i.e. the loops next adjacent the frame end parts, are as in the prior constructions also secured to the frame end parts by fasteners 30a, also of the double-hook type, spaced points (two points being illustrated) along the length of said loops.

The transversely extending loops are also secured to one another at spaced points along their adjacent long sides or legs, which points are aligned longitudinally with the points of fastening of the end loops to the end parts, by tie means separate from said loops which illustratively take the form U-clips designated 32 which are usually applied in a manual operation.

As distinguished from the prior practice of also connecting the adjacent legs or sides of each loop to one another by a U-clip (corresponding to the aforesaid U-clips 32) at a point or points intermediate the points of connection between the adjacent long sides of adjacent loops, in the manner indicated in broken lines in FIG. 1, the present invention achieves the same result by merelv imparting a half-twist to each loop, which results, as shown in FIG. 2, in the long leg portions of each loop crossing one another at the point or points to which previously a U-clip was applied.

By the aforesaid arrangement of loops, and assuming proper application of the clips 32 to the adjacent long legs or sides of the succession of side-by-side loops extending transversely between the side rails 12 and 14 of the framework, there is provided a supporting surface in the nature of a network characterized by diamondshaped openings, which corresponds in all substantial respects with the known supporting surface made up of a succession of adjacently disposed loops but which utilized mechanical clips exclusively for securing the loops or portions together in manner as to provide diamond-shaped openings through said surface.

Preferably, the aforesaid loops 16, 18 and 20 are fashioned from a braided cord end, the strands or filaments of which are made of a so-called memory plast c, such a cord being available commercially under the name of multi-filament polypropylene. Since such a cord is inherently elastic, and by virtue of its memory properties will return to its original length after being stretched a limited degree, loops made therefrom can be secured by non-elastic double-hook fasteners 30, 36a as aforesaid. Furthermore, being made of plastic, the ends of the cord may be secured together so as to produce endless loops by fusing said ends together. Such an endless loop is se n in FIG. 3, whereas FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the more conventional method of forming lengths of stranded wire cable or cord to the form of endless loops by securing the ends thereof together by metal bindings designated 24.

When the loops making up the supporting surface according to the invention are made of twisted wire strands, such loops lack the elasticity inherent in the loops made from braided cord fashioned from inulti-filament polypropylene as aforesaid. Accordingly, when using Wire loops, the requisite elasticity is imparted to the wire network formed by a pluraltiy of such loops by employing loopto-frame fastenings which are elastic. Referring to FIG. 5, which is intended to iliustrate a supporting surface of the invention assembled from wire loops 46, 43, 50, etc., which are each given a half twist as aforesaid and connected to adjacent loops in the manner described, elasticity in the supporting surface is provided by fastening the ends of all loops to the side frames and the sides of the end loops to the frame end parts by fasteners designated 60, 69a of a type incorporating coil springs intermediate their opposite hook-form ends. Otherwise, the supporting surface made from loops of stranded wire cable is similar to the earlier described supporting surface made from loops fashioned from a multi-filament memory plastic cord.

Without further analysis, it will be apparent from the above that a mattress and/ or cushion supporting surface or bottom as described and illustrated satisfies the objects of the invention as set forth in the foregoing. However, as many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. Supporting means for a mattress, cushion and the like comprising a supporting frame including spaced-apart parallel frame members, a plurality of preformed elongated, endlcss loops of stretched-out length corresponding substantially to the spacing between said parallel members and extending between and being fastened at their opposite ends to said frame members in side-by-side relationship, said loops each having at least one half twist provided therein intermediate its fastened ends whereby the long side-leg portions of each loop cross one another at at least one point along the length thereof, and tie means separate from said loops and connecting the adjacent long side-leg portions of each two side-by-side loops together at points spaced from but related to the crossing points of the long side-leg portion of each said loop and which are so located along said side-leg portions as to connect said loops together as a supporting surface in the form of a network having diamond-shaped openings.

2. Supporting means according to claim 1, wherein said loops are fashioned from cord made of filaments of a memory plastic whereby the loops have limited stretch and a capabality of returning to their original length after being stretched.

3. Supporting means according to claim 1, wherein said loops are fashioned from twisted wire cable and are fashioned at their end portions to said frame members by fasteners incorporating spring means effective to impart elasticity to said supporting surface.

4. The method of fabricating a supporting surface for a mattress, cushion and the like comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of preformed, elongate, endless loops made of cable, cord and the like and having stretched-out length substantially equal to the spacing between spaced-apart, parallel frame members to which said loops are to be secured, securing the loops at their opposite ends to said spaced-apart, parallel frame members so that they extend therebetween in side-by-side relationship, prior to such securement imparting at least one halftwist in each said loop whereby the long side-leg portions thereof cross one another at at least one point along the length thereof, and mechanically typing the adjacent long side-leg portions of each two side-by-side loops to one another at points therealong which are spaced to the sides of said points of crossing thereby to connect said lO0ps together as a supporting surface in the form of a network having diamond-shaped openings.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 36,902 11/1862 Gentil 5186 460,218 9/1891 Riggs 5-190 X 627,258 6/1899 Hallidie 5--190 X 830,512 9/1906 Lloyd 5-190 X 909,244 1/1909 Smith 5190 1,445,311 2/1923 Hammer 5-190 3,009,693 11/1961 Potferi 267112 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

R. D. KRAUS, Assistant Examiner. 

